Mosul, Nineveh (NINA) –Many citizens form Mosul have emphasized importance of active participation during the upcoming provincial elections to decide the future of their ancient city as well as participating in reconstructing their country.

Mosul locals, interviewed by the National Iraqi News Agency, have assured that their boycott of the previous elections was the main reason behind the deteriorated security situation and waste of many reconstruction chances as well as the phenomenon of displacing members of Mosul community which was characterized by tight relations.

President of Mosul University Dr. Oubi Sa’eed al-Daywachi expected wide participation in the next elections "due to the bad security and economic conditions in the province,” noting that people expect much of the next elections.

He added that people in the city are convinced that they should change the current provincial council which failed to provide security or services.

He clarified that “Boycott of the previous elections has resulted from the citizens’ rejection of occupation forces’ presence in Iraq which was accompanied by military operations against Iraqis in Ta- Afar and Falluja, as well as rejecting foreign agendas of some political parties.”

Dr. Raja’ Walid from the College of Sciences, Mosul University said “Boycott of the former elections was a serious mistake that we did not predict its side effects on security and other aspects of life in the city and we are still paying the expensive cost of that boycott.”

Nineveh Health Department’s employee Hasan Ahmed declared “We can not wait for the elections day to participate in ending bad security situations and deteriorated services which Mosul citizens suffer from.”

He noted that he was not able to participate in the previous elections due to threats of militant groups against voters.

For his part, chief of the Kurdistan Democratic Party's branch in the city Khisro Guran stated that security stability and political activities that have been witnessed in the past few months in Nineveh Province encouraged the citizens to participate actively in renewing their voters’ records.

"Mosul citizens’ sufferance over security and bad services would not be repeated after the results of the next elections appear," he concluded. /End/